When Ford began to get more involved in Shelby American’s affairs in 1966, it at least picked the right man to send to Shelby as that company’s new chief engineer, Fred Goodell. A hot rodder at heart, Goodell built many a souped-up Mustang for the Shelby works, including the fuel-injected and independent rear suspension-equipped one-off Green Hornet, which Barrett-Jackson recently announced will cross the block at its Scottsdale auction.

Officially known as the EXP 500, the Green Hornet’s genesis began with another Goodell-built car, a 1967 Mustang hardtop that he called Li’l Red. Fitted with Shelby decor and a Paxton-supercharged 428, Li’l Red eventually served as the template for the Mustang GT/California Special and very nearly became the template for a similar national version of the California Special. Ford in fact built two prototypes for a national version, including a Lime Gold 1968 Mustang hardtop with Deluxe interior and a 390/C6 drivetrain (VIN 8F01S104288), before round-filing the idea.

That Lime Gold hardtop then made its way to Shelby’s facility – at the time located in Ionia, Michigan – after Ford canceled its program. Goodell likely had a hand in the transfer, and once it arrived in Shelby’s shops, he tore into it. He replaced the 390 with a 428 Cobra Jet V-8 topped with a Conelec electronic fuel-injection system – Ford was already testing the systems to see how they would meet upcoming emissions regulations, so it was little trouble for Goodell to secure a system – and replaced the stock C6 with a C6 built to F350 specifications. He then swapped out the live rear axle for an independent rear suspension based around a Ford 9-inch center section and a cradle that bolted into the rear leaf spring mounts. Rear disc brakes and a full Shelby front suspension rounded out Goodell’s mechanical modifications, while darker gold-flecked green paint and a black vinyl top gave it some visual pop.

Goodell’s modifications reportedly endowed the Green Hornet with a 5.7-second 0-60 time and 157 MPH top speed, but yet again the ideas embodied in the prototype didn’t reach production. Unlike most prototype and experimental cars, however, the Green Hornet survived the scrapper: A Ford employee named Robert Zdanowski bought the Green Hornet – sans its EFI and IRS – but sold it six months later to Don Darrow, a Ford dealer in Cheboygan, Michigan. Darrow and his son Randy would later confirm the Green Hornet’s identity with Fred Goodell and restore it using a scratch-built IRS built to Goodell’s specifications along with a Holley ProJection EFI system (Goodell rounded up some components of another Conelec EFI system for the Darrows). It then passed through the hands of Steve Davis, president of Barrett-Jackson, before it made its way into the collection of Craig Jackson, who owned it at the time Jeff Koch photographed it for an article that appeared in Hemmings Muscle Machines #36, September 2006.

Jackson will run the Greet Hornet across the Barrett-Jackson block as part of the auction’s Salon Collection, which means that it will run with a reserve. Barrett-Jackson’s Scottsdale auction will take place January 13-20. For more information, visit Barrett-Jackson.com.

UPDATE: Barrett-Jackson sent over these two additional photos of the Green Hornet.

UPDATE (20.January 2013): The Green Hornet failed to meet its reserve after bidding up to $1.8 million.

Such awesome foresight by Goodell. Sad that those in power @ Ford didn’t build these for the public. One off cars are nice…now for “collectors”, but imagine seeing some of these scooting around town or at the drags.

This car spent time in Elmira, NY on Gould St. At the home of my childhood friend Chris Long. His father was the President of Conelec Fuel Injection. This car had a distinct note that we could tell from blocks away. I never personally drooled on this car but the sweat from my tongue can probably still be found on there! BTW we didn’t know that the Ford Factory codenamed this as the Green Hornet; we the neighborhood kids thought we were clever giving it that name! I had numerous pictures of this car, all we’re lost in the flood of 72!

The dash looks like it has/had air conditioning but there is nothing under the hood. . . . ?
I guess just another mark of a heavily modified car.
Besides the VIN and history, it doesnt seem like there are many special changes that any restorer could not build the same thing in their own garage.
Nice, but it is not the same as a motorama show car!

I noticed that part too..I also noticed that the Barret Jackson fees have been creeping back also…at one point they were 14% charged to the seller plus 14% added to the buyers bill…before this madness the standard commission was 6% to each end…I predicted that these insane prices have to come down sooner or later…..can’t wait for the prices to match the 1983 numbers when you could buy a 428 Mach 1 for 3 paychecks…..I can dream can’t I…

Sure is a double standard on the Green Hornet since it’s Craig Jackson’s personal car it’s the only one with a reserve ! I guess he can make his own rules.
I’m sure it will sell for a crazy high number too!

It is really a sad indictment how so many are so impressed by people with ore money than brains and are proud they paid more than anyone else. In the “old” days collectors marveled and laughed about the inflated “Hershey” prices, referring to the prices at the fall Hershey Swap meet. Times change, but egos don’t!

I’ve always wondered why the muscle cars of this era were jacked up and not lowered, compared to the more sedate versions of the same car. This car would look spectacular(er) if it were lowered about 2 inches.

I’ll bet it goes for a high premium price, would not even guess how much! I have never owned a Mustang but working in that. Fastest ride I ever had in one was many years ago when a mechanic friend of mine came by to show what he had just “built”. It was a simple ’66 coupe, all stock looking. But, he had put a lot of hot stuff in it, big cam, special heads, headers, dual glass packs, big 4 barrel, custom intake and more plus a 4 speed. It had a nasty lope at idle and took off like a dragster!! He went through the gears and let off at almost a 100mph. [I was sorta’ glad of that!!] Oh, the road was out in the country but really smooth, it was his drag strip along with many others, there were big and some were long burn out strips all over the place. What fun!.

Why did they name in knowing Chrysler was using that name for the marvel green hornet car. Why are so many of you car guys either haiters, or lovers. Just enjoy the technology that was developing back then and the cars that are still around today for us to enjoy. These cars are are almost 45 plus. And in better shape then some of us. So don’t complane about lopsided do.-hickies or high school shop projects. Enjoy and embrace the age of non cad computer designed cars and good old Yankee know how.